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KOEN THEYS

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Koen Theys

kt-17

KOEN THEYS (°1963. Brussels, Belgium.) was one of the first artists in Belgium to artistically exploit the medium of video in the early 1980s. Productions such as the ambitious video work Diana (1984) and the interpretation of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring der Nibelungen (1984-1989) caused his international breakthrough.

One of Theys’ recurrent practices is to deconstruct art history’s great traditions and icons of our western culture and linking them to contemporary issues. He uses artistic methods like displacement, doubling, morphing… to visually manipulate certain well-known western icons or symbols to the point where they seem to be turning against themselves.

Identity in all its forms is one of the artist’s greatest focus. How people present themselves, what they choose to identify with, how (political) group-identities take over and function as a misguiding safe-haven, how the image of one’s self is the drive behind all ambition… and how all this can be very easily lost.

In his latest work, Diasporalia, which was commissioned by the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp for the Year of the Baroque 2018, Theys thinks about the current refugee crisis. 12 unique refugee beds, complete with personal belongings, made entirely out of bronze.

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The sleeping refugees are missing from the scene, and it’s through their absence that we unavoidably reflect upon their identities. We only have the little remnants of a life in transit and our own imagination and empathy to imagine the personalities, feelings and struggles behind them.

Theys’ work has been shown all over the world and is part of public collections such as MOMA in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Nouveau Musée in Villeurbanne, the S.M.A.K. in Ghent, the M HKA in Antwerp, the Museum of Modern Art in Brussels, Le Casino in Luxembourg, … and many others.

www.koentheys.org

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SELECTED WORKS

 the invisible hand, just watching

the invisible hand, just watching

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 the invisible hand climbing a staircase

the invisible hand climbing a staircase

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 The invisible hand going around the corner

The invisible hand going around the corner

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 Burning Police Car

Burning Police Car

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 Doctors of Arts

Doctors of Arts

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 The Bull of Sorrows

The Bull of Sorrows

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 Burning Tires in the Snow IV

Burning Tires in the Snow IV

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 Burning Tires in the Snow III

Burning Tires in the Snow III

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 Burning Tires in the Snow II

Burning Tires in the Snow II

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 Burning Tires in the Snow I

Burning Tires in the Snow I

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 Burning Tires

Burning Tires

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 Bonfire

Bonfire

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 Burning Shopping Cart

Burning Shopping Cart

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 Summer Night With Burning Cars

Summer Night With Burning Cars

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 Burning Tires at the Gate

Burning Tires at the Gate

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 Burning Terrace Furniture

Burning Terrace Furniture

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 Burning Street Composition

Burning Street Composition

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 Burning Tires I

Burning Tires I

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 Burning Garbage

Burning Garbage

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 Burning Bikes

Burning Bikes

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 Burning Street II

Burning Street II

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 Burning Tires II

Burning Tires II

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 Burning Street I

Burning Street I

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 Arabian Nights (3)

Arabian Nights (3)

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 Arabian Nights (2)

Arabian Nights (2)

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 Arabian Nights (4)

Arabian Nights (4)

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 Wall of Man

Wall of Man

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 Diasporalia (Study)

Diasporalia (Study)

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 Background Vocals

Background Vocals

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 Vase (Green)

Vase (Green)

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 Vase (Gold)

Vase (Gold)

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 Vase (White)

Vase (White)

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 Vase (Pink)

Vase (Pink)

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 Vase (Silver)

Vase (Silver)

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 Vase (Blue)

Vase (Blue)

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 Abstraction

Abstraction

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 The Mining of the Natural Resources (2)

The Mining of the Natural Resources (2)

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 Tunnel I

Tunnel I

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 Chateau Classic

Chateau Classic

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 Room with a Double View

Room with a Double View

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 Het Vanitasrecord III

Het Vanitasrecord III

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 PATRIA

PATRIA

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 The Academy III

The Academy III

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 The Academy II

The Academy II

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 The Academy I

The Academy I

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 Stilleven met Appels I

Stilleven met Appels I

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 Death Fucking Metal (Red)

Death Fucking Metal (Red)

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 Death Fucking Metal (Yellow)

Death Fucking Metal (Yellow)

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 Death Fucking Metal (Blue)

Death Fucking Metal (Blue)

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NEWS

 ‘The Circus We Are’ at le Delta, Namur (BE)

‘The Circus We Are’ at le Delta, Namur (BE)

04/05/2022

Guillaume Bijl, Enrique Marty, Fabien Mérelle, Antoine Roegiers, Koen Theys and Andy Wauman are part of the group exhibition 'The Circus We Are'.

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 Koen Theys at Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden (NL)

Koen Theys at Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden (NL)

03/06/2021

Keramiekmuseum Princessehof presents 'EKWC@Princessehof: Koen Theys', a solo exhibition by Koen Theys.

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 Koen Theys’ Diasporalia at Drents Museum (NL)

Koen Theys’ Diasporalia at Drents Museum (NL)

05/02/2020

Koen Theys' installation Diasporalia, which was first introduced at the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, will be exhibited at the Drents Museum, Assen, The Netherlands.

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 Koen Theys & Nasan Tur at De Warande (BE)

Koen Theys & Nasan Tur at De Warande (BE)

11/12/2019

Koen Theys and Nasan Tur are part of the group show 'Lost in Translation' at De Warande, Turnhout (NL).

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 KOEN THEYS at KERAMIEKMUSEUM PRINCESSEHOF (NL)

KOEN THEYS at KERAMIEKMUSEUM PRINCESSEHOF (NL)

29/11/2019

Koen Theys's work Arabian Nights III is on view at the Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden (NL).

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 Koen Theys at Bozar, Brussels (BE)

Koen Theys at Bozar, Brussels (BE)

16/11/2019

Koen Theys will show his latest film 'Another Day in Treaty Town' in world premiere, on the 8th of December at BOZAR, Brussels.

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 KETELEER GALLERY at Art Brussels 2019 (BE)

KETELEER GALLERY at Art Brussels 2019 (BE)

31/01/2019

KETELEER Gallery is proud to announce its first participation at Art Brussels37th, the international art fair in Brussels, Belgium.

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 KETELEER GALLERY at Code Art Fair, Copenhagen (DK)

KETELEER GALLERY at Code Art Fair, Copenhagen (DK)

29/06/2018

Keteleer Gallery is proud to announce its first participation at Code Art Fair; the international art fair in Copenhagen, Denmark. From 30 August till September 2, 2018 Picture: DO ART Agency - https://www.codeartfair.dk/.

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 Koen Theys ‘Diasporalia’ at the Cathedral of Antwerp (BE)

Koen Theys ‘Diasporalia’ at the Cathedral of Antwerp (BE)

19/05/2018

Koen Theys presents 'Diasporalia', his new installation commissioned by the Cathedral of Antwerp on the occasion of 'Antwerp Baroque 2018'.

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 Koen Theys at ‘ART’S BIRTHDAY’, M HKA, Antwerp (BE)

Koen Theys at ‘ART’S BIRTHDAY’, M HKA, Antwerp (BE)

17/01/2018

Koen Theys presents his video-installation 'The Dynamite Show'...

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 The Raft. Art is (not) lonely. in Ostend (BE)

The Raft. Art is (not) lonely. in Ostend (BE)

10/01/2018

A major group exhibition in Ostend, Belgium, curated by Jan Fabre and Joanna De Vos.

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EXHIBITIONS

 ART BRUSSELS 2020 -> 2022

ART BRUSSELS 2020 -> 2022


28.04 - 01.05.2022

Tour & Taxis, Belgium

Havenlaan 86C, 1000 Brussels



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 Koen Theys

Koen Theys

« Bonfires »
22.01 - 12.03.2022

KETELEER GALLERY

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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 ART ANTWERP 2021

ART ANTWERP 2021


16.12 - 19.12.2021

Antwerp Expo, Belgium

Jan van Rijswijcklaan 191, 2020 Antwerp



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 Group Exhibition

Group Exhibition


13.06 - 30.08.2020

KETELEER GALLERY

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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 ART COLOGNE 2020 -> 2021

ART COLOGNE 2020 -> 2021


17.11— 21.11.2021

Cologne, Germany

Messeplatz 1, 50679 Cologne



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 Looking Forward

Looking Forward


07.12.2019 — 05.01.2020

KETELEER GALLERY

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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 Art Brussels 2019

Art Brussels 2019


25.04 — 28.04.2019

Tour & Taxis, Belgium

Havenlaan 86C, 1000 Brussels



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 Code Art Fair

Code Art Fair

with Koen Theys
30.08 — 2.09.2018

Copenhagen, Denmark

Center Blvd 5, 2300 Copenhagen



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 Koen Theys

Koen Theys

« Arabian Nights »
03.06 - 19.08.2018

KETELEER

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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 Forever & Beyond

Forever & Beyond

« A Tale About Drawings »
20.05 - 02.07.2017

KETELEER

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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 Koen Theys

Koen Theys

« What's the Point? Photographic works 1994 - 2014 »
22.10.2016 - 07.01.2017

KETELEER

Pourbusstraat 3-5 - 2000 Antwerp



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ITEMS IN STORE

Koen Theys – Diasporalia

€24,00 incl. VAT

Koen Theys – Home-made Victories

€34,50 incl. VAT

Koen Theys & Gülsün Karamustafa – Mystic Transport

€25,00 incl. VAT

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